The signed declaration committing to seeking an end to veterans homelessness in Oregon

Here in Lane County we are redoubling our efforts to provide housing and services to homeless veterans. I’m proud to have represented our county and cities at Operation Welcome Home’s launch last Thursday. As usual, Lise Stuart and our Veterans Team are looking far into the future to find innovative ways to serve our military heroes today… Read more here.

Operation Welcome Home centers the goal of ending veterans’ homelessness and uses Lane County’s and national best practices and clear goalposts to advance that goal.

Posted in Pat Farr | Comments Off on Operation Welcome Home will inspire housing for homeless veterans. by Pat Farr

I took this photo of Mrs. Obama from my seat in the White House East Room as she delivered a powerful speech supporting creating and maintaining housing for our nation’s veterans

A year ago I was called to the White House by First Lady Michelle Obama in recognition of Lane County housing 404 homeless veterans in the year ending in March 2016. Former Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy was also invited. I took as my guest Jon Ruiz, Eugene’s City Manager and Terry McDonald of St. Vincent DePaul of Lane County joined us as Kitty’s guest.

Revealing the number of veterans housed during Operation 365 with Terry McDonald and Kitty Piercy

Since then the work of finding housing for veterans here continues. 436 veterans have been housed since that date in 2016.

Each month Lise Stuart from Lane County Human Services compiles the record of the continuing services and forwards a copy to me and to the people and agencies who are tirelessly working to place men, women and families in housing.

Here is the list distributed by Lise on December 8.

Lane County Highlights:

· 436 Homeless Veterans on the By-Name List have been housed (temporary or permanent) since 03/2016 (20 months) CoC-HUD APR Veteran Destinations (This is an unduplicated count, therefore this number may go down because veterans return to homelessness)

· 159 Veterans currently on the By-Name Active List

· 97 Number Veterans had a Coordinated Entry Assessment to get on the homeless housing wait list since 03/2016

· 0 Number Veterans had a Coordinated Entry Assessment to get on the homeless housing wait list in the past week (0 in past 30 days)

· 1418 Individuals have been assessed for the Homeless Veteran By-Name List since 03/2016

· 20 New Homeless Veteran By-Name assessments in the past week

· 36 Unscreened homeless Veterans on the list

· 6 New Homeless Veterans (unscreened) added to ServicePoint CMIS/HMIS in the week

The agencies and staffs involved in this effort include: Lane County, Cities of Eugene and Springfield, Catholic Community Services of Lane County, FOOD for Lane County, St. Vincent DePaul of Lane County, Community Supported Shelters, Lane County ShelterCare.